BBC apologises for not doing enough for staff after ‘abuse’ by stalker

The BBC has given a “full and unreserved apology” for not doing enough to help staff who alleged relentless abuse by a stalker.

Alex Belfield was jailed for five and a half years in September 2022 after being convicted of four stalking charges against broadcasters including Channel 5 chat show host and BBC Radio 2 DJ Jeremy Vine.

Vine said it was “right” that the corporation had apologised “for its early responses when women at BBC Leeds” complained.

On Wednesday, the BBC issued a statement saying: “People who work for the BBC are often in the public eye and under scrutiny, however it is unacceptable for anyone to be the target of sustained abuse in the way that Rozina Breen, Elizabeth Green, Stephanie Hirst and Helen Thomas were over a number of years.

“For that we are deeply sorry and offer a full and unreserved apology. Abuse – particularly on social media – presents lots of challenges for employers and we all need to keep learning and implement the best practice on how we can support our staff.

“That’s why the BBC has an online abuse guidance and reporting tool, which today provides all staff with information and support on how to address and combat online abuse.

“The BBC has also expanded its mental wellbeing resources and strengthened our internal investigative capabilities. We are significantly better equipped to manage these issues now and in the future, but we will never be complacent.”

Belfield was found not guilty of stalking charges in relation to the BBC’s former head of north Ms Breen, ex-Radio Leeds presenters Ms Green and Ms Hirst, and the BBC’s director of BBC England Ms Thomas.

He was found guilty after a trial at Nottingham Crown Court of waging a relentless stalking campaign, with Vine subjected to an “avalanche of hatred”.

Jurors convicted Belfield of four charges, committed between 2012 and 2021, of causing serious alarm or distress and “simple” stalking in relation to Vine and theatre blogger Philip Dehany.

On X, Vine wrote: “It’s right that the BBC apologise for its early responses when women at BBC Leeds were targeted by the criminal stalker Alex Belfield.

“They were told to ‘ignore and delete’ his thousands of abusive emails, when actually the advice should have been ‘log and keep’.”

He claimed this was “bad advice”, and “the BBC began to take the case seriously only when (ex-BBC boss Lord) Tony Hall and (director-general) Tim Davie took charge. I hope this statement from the BBC (and any compensation) helps these four survivors put this awful case behind them.

“Belfield’s was a landmark conviction in internet stalking, abuse and harassment.”